The use of refractory high fired bricks with high purity and chromium oxide contents of up to 90% and even higher are currently used when attempting to reduce corrosion in highly corrosive environments such as basalt glass tanks, black liquor application in the paper and pulp industry, coal gasification, cleaning slags in stainless steel manufacturing, and chemical waste incineration. Ordinary chromium oxide Cr2O3 can form CrO3 during oxidation in a furnace environment. CrO3 is water soluble and highly carcinogenic. Refractory bricks incorporating chromium oxide materials, therefore, suffer from a significant disadvantage in that the disposal of used chromium containing refractory linings can require special precautions with regards to health and safety of the construction crews and contamination of waste deposits due to the potential of water soluble CrO3 byproducts.
Thus, there exists a need for a refractory composition with improved corrosion resistance and superior handling properties without the need for included chromium oxide. There also exists a need for refractory articles formed from such a composition that have an extended operational lifetime relative to conventional refractory articles.